Chereads / The Hopeless Hero (Draft) / Chapter 35 - I...Will Never Fall (Leonna)

Chapter 35 - I...Will Never Fall (Leonna)

"DON'T BACK DOWN!!! TOGETHER WE'RE STRONGER THAN ANYTHING!!!" Commander Zeigal shouted.

Everyone including me let out a ferocious battle cry that shook the ground to it's core. Ear-piercing screams and impossible amounts of gore filled the battlefield as we fought with our lives. From the eyes of a bystander, it would've looked like nothing but a film of despair. The only things that kept this from looking like a complete hell were the beautiful and endless streams of light that trailed our swords. Our magic had the look of a heavenly joy while the magic on the other side had the look of despair and death that would put any normal civilian into a deadly barrage of psychological breakdowns.

This battle was the complete definition of good versus evil (even if it sounds too cliche).

"GIVE EVERYTHING YOU GOT!!!" Commander Zeigal shouted.

The odds may have been fifty fifty between us, but we knew that we would eventually suffer casualties. But even so, we kept fighting with everything we had. We all made the choice to fight knowing that our lives were not guaranteed. Seeing our friends die is hard, but letting them die in vein is an even worse fate.

"LET THY MAGIC BECOME ONE WITH THY BLADE!!"

My light magic became one with my blade after I finished my chant. My silver blade was engulfed in a golden light that shined a lot brighter than most of my comrades' magic. I then swung my blade at any dark entity that stood before me. The ones that were hit were reduced to nothing but a pile of gore and ash.

My magic was far superior to my comrades' magic, but the commander's was the one that shined brighter than anything that I've ever see. in my life.

"MAY THY BLADE BE FILLED WITH FAITH AND STRENGTH!!!"

His blade didn't shine golden like mine, it shined a bright yellow, brighter than the sun (and I thought it went really well with his blue color). His strikes were faster and his strength was immeasurable.

"WHEN WE ARE ONE, WE CAN STAND UP AGAINST ANY FORCE!!! COME FORTH MY MEN AND WOMEN!!! SHOW THESE HORRIFIC BEASTS WHAT IT MEANS TO FIGHT TOGETHER!!!!!"

His courageous attitude and unbelievable leadership was also unbreakable. He was truly a man worthy to be our commander.

As I fought, I started wondering what Hiro was doing back at the city. Is he safe? Did he get everyone evacuated? Is he watching me? I hope that all of these questions are answered "yes." I don't really know how I all of a sudden fell for him. His strength couldn't be the reason why because I was three ranks stronger than him, and that's WAY above his level. I mean...maybe it's because of his optimistic and kind attitude? Could it be because he reminds me of me? I don't know. I've never felt these things before. Hiro is someone that I want to protect, but how did he become someone that I want to love?

I remembered how I kissed him when he looked like he was about to lose to his own misery and despair. I felt guilty for that because it felt forced, but I didn't know what else to do. If I didn't do that, then how else was I supposed to help him? He needed someone that cared for him, so I did what I thought would work.

That still doesn't really answer my question though. Am I having a hard time finding the answer because I'm slashing all of these beasts while I'm trying to think?

...do I even need an answer at all?

That thought stuck with me. Is there a reason for someone to fall in love? I mean, he was the first one to touch my chest. He was also my first disciple and the first boy that I ever kissed. But all of those moments didn't really feel...romantic. They all felt like some plot point or action needed to keep a story moving forward. He grabbed my chest so that he could distract me in the middle of the fight, I made him my disciple because he wanted to get stronger in order to save Xylvia, and I kissed him to save him from losing himself. Those events had their own reason for happening, so...what was my reason for falling in love with Hiro? He's kind, he's fun, he's pretty cute, and he never gives up, but they don't feel like reasons though. Is their really no reason for falling on love? Does it really just happen to someone? Is love really-

SHINK!

I couldn't let my thought finish because of that sound. It echoed through my head too many times for me to count. Something warm started dripping down my lower body. I looked down to see a think red liquid pouring out of me.

"...b...loo...d...?"

My vision grew blurry as I collapsed to the floor. I realized that I was struck by projectile magic.

"...n...o..."

No...I can't die. I still don't know the reason yet. I can't die. I still haven't trained Hiro and Xylvia enough yet. I can't die...I...

"can't...d...ie..."

The thought of never getting to see Hiro again filled my eyes with warm tears. This warmth wasn't something that I wanted to feel. It felt painful and clogged. It was very uncomfortable.

I noticed everyone ducking down from something charging from...the sky.

...the sky...?

Yes. Beasts that looked like dragonmen wore saddles and had chains wrapped around their necks like some kind of lead. They were being ridden by soldiers who wore black armor that had some sort of purple aura around them...just like the soldiers that we were fighting on the ground.

I witnessed hundreds of my comrades get bitten into two by the dragonmen or slashed by the soldiers on the dragonmen. Some of them launched magic projectiles at them, an attack that likely hit me.

"...no...pl...ease...sto...p..."

Is this it? Am I really going to die along with my fellow comrades? Am I really going to die without letting Hiro know...how much I love him? No...no...I can't...bear that.

"...eeugghh...aauuccggh...Hi...ro...aaugh."

I don't want to die...I...I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!

"HIROOOOOOOO!!!!!"

SPLASH! SHINK!

"The sound of water splashing and someone getting cut echoed throughout the battlefield. Before I knew it, the head of a dragonman and half of it's soldier fell to the ground. I used my strength to turn around and see...Hiro...?

"Hiro...?"

Yes...it was him. He was about a hundred meters away, but I could clearly make out his face.

"AQUA BULLETS!" he chanted from a distance.

About forty or fifty bullet-sized water balls shot out from his red magic circle and hit the many dragonmen that flew in the air. About a fourth of them fell to the ground.

"NOW IS OUR CHANCE," Commander Zeigal said. "FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOOOOOOOOT!!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUHHHHH!!!"

Everyone charged with pure rage and strength ready to be unleashed upon their enemies. Hiro kept firing aqua bullets while my comrades slashed at every enemy that stood before them.

As I watched in complete shock, I noticed Hiro running straight towards me. He got down on one knee and picked me up like a prince did for a princess in a fairytale (I didn't know how else to describe it).

"Are you ok," he asked. "You're not hurt too bad right?"

I couldn't help but smile at him. His bravery, strength, care, compassion, and his will to keep going all reminded me of someone.

"What is it?" Hiro asked.

"Heh...I think I know the reason why I'm in love with you." I said.

"Uhh...what's your reason...?"

"It's because...your just like me."

I couldn't say anything else because my lips were sealed. They were sealed because I wanted them to be. So I sealed them...using Hiro's own lips of course.